


Fright Zone

by snailparty1



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: AU where Adora isn't a First One/She-Ra, Adora and Catra vs the world, Adora is Bad at Feelings, Adora is insecure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Catra (She-Ra) Acts Like a Cat, Catra is Bad at Feelings (She-Ra), Espionage, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Shadow Weaver is the Worst, She-Ra is gone, Slight recharacterization, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24676540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snailparty1/pseuds/snailparty1
Summary: She-Ra is gone. She’s been gone for over a thousand years. After Etheria was cut off from the rest of the universe when it was flung into Despondos, the line was broken. Mara died and took She-Ra with her.After her promotion to Force Captian, Adora quickly learned that it wasn’t what she always imagined it would be. However, her new position gives new perspective on the Horde that makes Adora question her life’s work.With the help of her best friend Catra, Adora slowly pulls back the curtain to discover what is truly going on in the Horde, and when the truth is revealed, she knows she has to do everything in her power to stop it -- with or without the help of her friends.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 48





	1. The Fright Zone

**Author's Note:**

> So, I planned this and started writing it last summer and really didn't like it. Now, like 6 months later, I came back to it and I think I kind of figured out why I didn't like it. I'm gonna try to edit what I've already posted as well as rework the plan into something I like more. Sorry to those who read this 6 months ago :P

Adora woke up with a start. Though her heart was pounding and her breathing was rapid, the memory of her nightmare faded quickly. She continued to gasp for breath as she tucked loose strands of blonde hair that had escaped from her ponytail behind her ear, slowly but surely regaining her composure. A violent shiver rocked her to her core.

Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness of her room; it was bare, empty save for the large bed she slept on and a small desk across the room; lonely. Standing slowly, she moved to the thin chain dangling in the center of the room. With a quick pull, the lightbulb clicked on, illuminating the room surprisingly efficiently. Moving to the desk, Adora eyed the top drawer while she opened the bottom one. She reached in, and after some shuffling pulled out a black jacket, its zipper undone as she pulled it over her shoulders and slightly revealing pajamas. The fabric fell much farther than intended, just above her knees. She grumbled, making a mental note to talk to Scorpia about getting her size right as she cuffed the sleeves so they would stay in place at her wrists. 

Next to the door, she slid on her new ‘slippers’ as Shadow Weaver had called them -- they were like shoes, but only protected the bottom of her feet, held on by only a single strip of fabric. She pressed the button next to her door and it slid open. It was louder than she had hoped, and she flinched as it slid into place with a hearty clang. A gush of cold air blew into the room, making her shiver once more. She looked up and down the hall; it was late, but the lights were still on, just like they always were. With no one in sight, Adora slipped out of her room, the door closing noisily behind her.

Her pace brisk, Adora made her way down the hall and around the corner, passed the locker rooms and the training areas. Finally, she arrived at her destination.

The door was twice as wide as her own, although the height was identical. Dreading the noise it would make, Adora pressed the button. The door slowly opened, creaking all the while, before finally stopping with a deep, metallic bang. She slipped into the barracks and closed the door behind her, hoping the many cadets sleeping inside had not heard her enter. None of them stirred, and Adora let out a small sigh of relief. It was warm in here; much warmer than the hall and even her own room. 

Sliding her slippers off, she crept to the back of the room, approaching what had been her bed, until earlier that morning. Even from this distance, she could make out the form of someone sleeping at the foot of the bunk. Moving quietly, Adora finally found herself next to Catra, who was asleep at the end of what was once her bed, curled up into a small ball. Without her headband, her brown bangs fell messily over her face.

“Catra?” Adora whispered as quietly as possible. When she didn’t get a response, she squatted to be at eye level with the other girl. “Catra!”

Her tail twitching before anything else, Catra opened one eye, revealing her blue iris for only a moment before she smiled and closed it once more. “Hey, Adora,” she slurred, her voice scratchy with sleep. Behind her, her tail continued to sway back and forth. “I was wondering when you’d show up.” 

“Catra, I can’t sleep. I’ve never slept by myself before,” Adora admitted, her voice hushed. Behind her, a cadet adjusted their blanket.

Catra chuckled, her eyes still closed. “What, is big, bad Adora afraid of the dark?”

“No.” Adora’s eyes shot to the light streaming into the room from the poorly fitted door. “Well, maybe a little.” Catra’s tail flicked back and forth, tickling Adora’s nose slightly before Adora grabbed it gently. “I’d feel a lot better if you came with me.”

Catra’s eyes cracked open, revealing both of her yellow and blue eyes, her small smile becoming a smirk. “Is that an order, Force Captain?”

Adora’s smile was crooked as she responded, “Depends on your answer.”

Catra laughed and Adora’s smile grew. “Fine. Beats sleeping on this slab of wood, anyway.”

“Really?” Adora questioned, “I like the slab. Great back support.”

Catra sat up and yawned, stretching her arms as she smiled once more. “You’re an idiot,” she said breathily, her eyelids heavy with exhaustion.

Taking Catra’s hand in her own, Adora moved to the door. As she pressed the button and slid on her shoes, she turned to Catra and asked, “Are you cold? It’s cold in the hall. Do you want my jacket?”

“I’m good.”

“Are you sure? Horde pajamas aren’t exactly well insulated.” Adora added, pointing to both of their exposed stomachs.

Catra laughed lightly as the door slid into place, “Adora, I have fur,” she said, holding up a fuzzy arm, its tan color occasionally striped with a dark orange.

“Oh. Right.” Adora laughed awkwardly, making Catra grin. “Come on, my room’s this way,” she said, tugging on Catra’s hand as she began moving.

Adora moved from corner to corner dramatically, peeking around corners and doorways for anyone who might catch them. “Adora, sneaking to the Force Captain Quarters isn’t a big deal. I do it all the time.”

“What?” Adora whispered, raising an eyebrow. Catra stuck her tongue out and Adora groaned quietly. “I don’t even want to know.”

Adora finally found herself in front of her door, and with a press of the button, she entered, dragging Catra behind her. It locked shut behind them with a click, and Adora let out a sigh of relief. 

Catra walked around the room, examining the barebones furniture and decoration. “Really nice place you got here, Adora. Love the minimalist approach,” she said as she moved to the small door in the back. It slid open, revealing a bathroom. “Wow, you even have your own shower--maybe now you won’t always smell like sweat!”

Adora groaned. “I don’t even get it--look at the soap they gave me. What’s a ‘shampoo’? It sounds disgusting.”

With a laugh, Catra walked out of the bathroom before flopping face-down on to the bed. “This is a really great slumber party, Adora, but I’m excited to get to the ‘slumber’ part.”

Nodding, Adora yawned. "Yeah, me too. I have to get up early. Shadow Weaver said she needed me for something in the morning."

Catra let out a low growl and scowled. "Leave it up to Shadow Weaver to ruin anything fun."

"Oh come one, she's not _that_ bad, Catra."

"Maybe not when you're around." Though Adora didn't move or make a sound, Catra could feel her concerned gaze piercing through her. Sighing, Catra added, "Whatever. Let's just go to sleep," snuggling into the covers and shutting her eyes.

Adora let out a concerned hum before tugging the chain and plunging the room into darkness and joining Catra on the bed. The blanket was thin and the room was still cold. "Catra?" Adora whispered as she stared at the ceiling, and the sleeping form beside her offered a groan. "You'll come back tomorrow night, right?"

Silently, Catra's tail slid to Adora's legs, resting on top of them. "Of course, dummy."

The bed was warm.

***

The door slid open with a bang. “Force Captain Adora--” 

Shadow Weaver’s voice tore both girls from sleep immediately. In a panic, they fought to untangle themselves from each other, resulting in Catra falling on the floor as Adora stood up to salute Shadow Weaver. “Shadow Weaver--ma’am--uh--good morning.”

Groaning, Catra slowly rose from the floor, pressing a hand to her forehead. “Ow.”

Shadow Weaver stood, her mask emotionless in the doorframe for a moment as she took in what just happened, her black hair and maroon cloak flowing in non-existent wind. She finally sighed, “Force Captain Adora, I need your help at the Black Garnet chamber.” Adora nodded as Shadow Weaver turned and glared at Catra from behind her mask, “As for you, Catra, just stay out of our way,” she finished with quiet malice.

“Whatever,” Catra said, her eyes going to her own feet as she crossed her arms.

Adora offered her a small, apologetic smile as she followed Shadow Weaver out the door. “See you tonight?”

Catra looked up, returning the smile hesitantly. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

Her smile widening, Adora darted out the door to keep up with Shadow Weaver, the zipper of her jacket jingling against her thigh. “I will never understand what you see in that girl.” The sorceress spoke, not even wanting to utter Catra’s name. Adora bit her tongue and stayed silent.

They arrived not at the Black Garnet Chamber, but at a storage room nearby. Shadow Weaver spoke, “Adora, would you grab that box for me?” Wordlessly, Adora moved to the sizable crate, squatting down and lifting it up easily. Next to her, Shadow Weaver dug through a different box before pulling out a handful of small, diamond-shaped crystals that shone a pale blue. She held them in her hand gingerly as she moved out the door, almost appearing to hover. Adora found it difficult to keep up, but she did. Her feet slapped against the cold floor as she jogged behind Shadow Weaver; she hadn’t even had time to put her slippers on. Her ponytail was also a mess, with hairs tickling her face and neck with every step.

Finally, Shadow Weaver’s movement slowed to a halt before the oddly familiar door of the Black Garnet Chamber. After typing in the password, the door slid open, allowing the sorceress and her accessory into the chamber. Before them stood the towering glory of the Black Garnet, a deep maroon Runestone that shimmered in the low light of the room. Just from being near it, Adora could feel the raw magical power it released. She shivered slightly; it also seemed like the jewel was absorbing all the heat in the room. She wondered what sort of power Shadow Weaver must hold, drawing her magic directly from a stolen Runestone. If Princesses get power from Runestones, it must be an astronomical amount, especially for a non-princess.

“Put it right there, Adora,” Shadow Weaver called, snapping Adora from her thoughts. She set the crate down gently exactly where Shadow Weaver had told her, near some sort of heavy, metallic table. Shadow Weaver caught the girl examining the table and spoke up, “You’ll see what it is soon enough; I just have to get the blasted thing to work first.” Adora nodded, standing up straight and crossing her arms over her exposed stomach and looking to Shadow Weaver.

The sorceress’s eyes softened as they locked with Adora’s. “Oh, Adora,” the woman spoke, moving to the younger girl. She held out a long, gray hand and cupped Adora’s cheek; Adora relaxed into the older woman’s hand. “I am so proud of you, child. Only 18 years old and already a Force Captain. My Adora--” Adora sighed, comforted by her words, “--fastest time in the training simulations, strongest I’ve ever seen among cadets. I’m amazed at your strides and I always will be.”

Adora bit her tongue, not wanting to lose Shadow Weaver’s affectionate touch. She wanted to speak, to say Catra was only a few seconds behind her in training, to mention the number of times Catra had bested her, but she didn’t. She was being selfish and she knew it. Shadow Weaver was not a kind woman--that was a fact Adora understood--she was bitter, she was demeaning, she was angry, she was a megalomaniac; but she was also complex. Moments such as these, where she spoke with such tooth-rotting sweetness and touched Adora so gently as though she might break were few and far between. Moments like these should be savored. 

Without a word between the two, Shadow Weaver eventually removed her hand from Adora’s face before speaking once more, her voice gentle and kind, “Do you trust me, Adora?”

“Of course,” Adora said. She was amazed and almost concerned by how little hesitation there was in her words; she hadn’t even thought about saying them, they had just spilled out of her mouth and into Shadow Weaver’s waiting hands. 

Though she was wearing a mask, Adora could tell Shadow Weaver was smiling. “Come here, child.”

Once again, with no hesitation, Adora blindly walked toward Shadow Weaver. With a gentle push on her shoulder, Shadow Weaver turned the girl around. Placing a hand on the back of Adora’s head, Shadow Weaver exposed the back of the blonde’s neck to herself. She carefully moved the loose strands from Adora’s ponytail to the side and Adora had to fight not to shiver at her touch. “This will hurt, but only for an instant. I need a sample of your blood.”

Adora dare not question what was happening, lest the woman would remove her hand from her neck. A moment later, she flinched at a sharp prick. The sorceress wasn’t lying; the pain only lasted a second.

“Ah, there we are,” Shadow Weaver sang, slowly spinning Adora around to face her. “Thank you, Adora,” she said sweetly, brushing the loose hairs from Adora’s face. Her arms still wrapped around her stomach, Adora felt her breath hitch. “Now run along, child; you have a battle to prepare for, do you not?”

Adora nodded, reluctant to end an affectionate interaction with Shadow Weaver, but she did as she was told. She made her way down the hall, back to her quarters, and dressed herself for battle. She wore only a thin, white shirt that went all the way down her arms and up around her neck, as well as thin gray pants that hugged her legs. She quickly fastened her new Force Captain badge on her chest, making sure it was straight. Putting on real shoes, she ran down to the armory to complete her uniform with a plated, gray suit of armor with a matching green-visored helmet.

Shadow Weaver had said the rest of her team wasn’t ready for battle yet; Adora had tried to convince her otherwise, but Shadow Weaver was not someone who changed her mind after it was made up. She was even unsure about Adora going into battle, even with her skill set, not even allowing her to command cadets; she was only there to fight. The other Force Captains were in charge. She wasn’t sure what the point of being a Force Captain was if you couldn’t captain a force, but she trusted Shadow Weaver; it was nice that she cared so much about her safety. 

Slipping her helmet on, she followed the orders of a nearby superior. Hopping through the hatch of a tank, she found herself giddy with excitement. _A tank_ , she thought, _they’re letting me drive a tank!_ The radio chattered in front of her, letting her know it was time to move. Her knee bouncing up and down, the plans for the invasion played over and over in her mind.

__

__

_Enter the rebel fort of Thaymor.  
_ _Defeat all insurgents.  
_ _Stop anyone getting in our way.  
_ _Destroy anything in our way._

__

It was exceedingly simple, but Adora was nervous she would somehow mess it up. She took a deep, calming breath as she drove over the nearest hill, a small fleet of identical tanks around her. From the vantage point, she could see what must be Thaymor--it had to be, this was the location--but something was off about it. Using the screen before her, she enhanced the image of the fort.

Rather than a fleet of rebel soldiers and evil Princesses, the fort--or village, as it seemed--contained only civilians. She watched as they shared food and wove flowers into each other’s hair. Frantically, she grabbed the radio in front of her.

“This is Force Captain Adora,” she spoke into the device, “There seems to be a mistake; these are clearly civilians.” Still watching them through her screen, she watched as they noticed the approaching army. They began fleeing, hiding in their homes and running into the forest on the other side of town; Adora felt her heart sink, as she knew that was the direction the bots were approaching from.

The radio scratched as someone else spoke through it, “Force Captain Adora, are you questioning your orders? Questioning Shadow Weaver?” Adora moved to speak into the radio, but the person on the other end continued, “I would not consider discussing treason again, or else someone might have to take action.” Looking to her side, she watched as a nearby tank turned its muzzle to her.

Swallowing a lump in her throat, she spoke into the radio once more, “My mistake.”

“That’s what I thought,” the voice on the radio sneered.

Her breathing grew more rapid as her tank drove closer and closer to the ‘rebel fort,’ though she was doubting that description more and more the closer she got. Huge blasts of energy shot from the tanks around her as she tried to mentally distance herself from what was happening. Most of the buildings were nothing more than tents, their walls decorated with paintings of flowers and animals. The only ‘buildings’ looked like they were made of straw and mud, with dry, thatched roofs.

Over the radio, another voice spoke, “The insurgents are scattering. We need more people on the field. Force Captain Amayr, Force Captain Nimh, you stay in your tanks and take out their stronghold, the rest of us will advance on foot.”

Following orders, Adora abandoned her tank, leaping onto the solid, grassy ground outside. She drew her weapon, a metal blaster that doubled as a stun baton, and advanced into the town. She had never seen anything like it.

The few actual buildings they had had been torn apart by the laser blasts of the tanks, their roofs burning and their walls crumbling. The thin, brown tents that dotted the land lit easily; most of them were completely ablaze. Handfuls of people ran from the village and were quickly shot down. The air was heavy and gray with smoke as she moved between piles of rubble and ash.

Rounding an intact tent, she discovered a child. They were huddled against the thin material of the shelter, their tiny arms folded over their horned head. Hesitantly, they peaked between their fingers and glanced at Adora. She reached out to them, trying to comfort them, to empathize; the child yelped, jumping away from her outstretched hand.  
Adora looked at her hand with confusion, before realizing--she was no different from the people--her people-- who were attacking this village. The Horde was the Horde, and she was a part of it. _No,_ a voice whispered in the back of her mind, unsure, _the Horde would never kill innocents; they would never kill children._ She took a sweeping glance at the village, now more ash and rubble than a place to call home, and shook her head forcefully, trying to remove the thoughts from her head. Maybe she was wrong, maybe the Horde was just eliminating traitors, maybe they were just protecting people like her, and Catra, and her squad; maybe this was for the greater good.

Once more, she looked to the terrified child. Their eyes were wide and bright with fear, but their limbs were frozen with it. Her heart felt like it shrunk, contracting in on itself painfully as she tore her eyes away, ashamed. It took everything in her, but Adora walked away. Staying meant she would have to… _dispatch_ the child. Leaving, leaving was her only option. An evil, selfish thought crossed her mind, for only an instant--a ribbon of an impulse--but, no, she couldn’t; she didn’t have it in her. With one final glance over her shoulder, she began walking back to her tank, sealing her fate.

“What do you think you’re doing, Force Captain?”

Adora spun around; another Force Captain stood behind her, between her and the child. Though his visor was down, she could feel his cold eyes bore into her.

“Dispatch the insurgent,” he spoke, his voice poisonous. 

Gritting her teeth, Adora held her ground. “That is not an insurgent. That is a child.”

The child whimpered behind the other Force Captain and he turned his helmeted head toward them. With his blaster in one hand, he grabbed the child with the other, forcing them on the ground between him and Adora. “Force Captain Adora,” he said forcefully.

She looked at the child. They were quivering, tears streamed down their furry face, and Adora knew she couldn’t do it. Throwing her stun baton on the ground near her feet, she looked to the other Force Captain, “I will not kill a child.”

The other Force Captain looked at her. “Fine,” he said through gritted teeth. Raising his blaster, he took aim at Adora.

Her eyes went wide and she threw her arms up in front of her, “Wait--”

The blaster hit her shoulder, in a weak point between the plates of her armor. She screamed as the laser burned her skin and tore through her muscle. Pressing the hand of her uninjured arm over the wound, she pulled it back to see it slick with blood. She was already dizzy with emotional turmoil, and the addition of a searing wound was enough to bring her to her knees. 

The other Force Captain approached her as she became unable to even support herself on her knees; she fell, collapsing on her side as the other Force Captain stood over her, raising his blaster to her face as she struggled to maintain consciousness. 

“The Horde doesn't tolerate treason.”


	2. Stand Your Ground

With a groan, Adora cracked her eyes open. The blinding, yet familiar light of the infirmary made her shut them again quickly, draping her right forearm over them; her left arm hurt too much to move. The ever-present shuffle of doctors and equipment was almost comforting--she was no stranger to being in the Fright Zone’s hospital, having grown up side-by-side with a girl with claws and fangs.

“Adora?” whispered a voice beside her with poorly disguised panic. Speak of the devil.

“Hey, Catra,” she smiled, her arm still covering her eyes.

A loud, relieved sigh sounded off beside her, “Wow, you almost died on your first mission. Way to go, all-mighty Force Captain.”

“Shut up,” Adora responded, her smile relaxing. Slowly, the events of her first mission began to return to her; first, only flashes of the carnage plagued her mind, but slowly she began to remember what happened in oh-so-vivid detail--the flames, the rubble, the blood. Her smile vanished. 

In a frenzy, she tried to sit up quickly, but her left arm gave out from under her, a yelp of pain escaping her before she could stop it. 

“Adora! Stop!” Catra nearly shouted, forcing the taller girl back onto the bed, “You can’t move it yet!”

“Ow,” was all Adora could say in response. Her mind was racing, flooded with the horrible things that had happened in Thaymor. Eyes blank and looking at the ceiling, she said, “Catra, I really need to talk to you.” A doctor shuffled past the foot of her bed and she added, “Alone.”

The Magicat’s overbearing concern drowned out her usual teasing remark. “What is it? Are you dying? Please tell me you aren’t dying.”

Normally, Adora would laugh at that, but her face remained hard. “No, I’m fine. It’s just...kind of big.” Whispering, she added, “And secret.” When Catra gave her a confused, almost playful look, she continued, “Like, life-or-death secret.”

Catra nodded. “Well, I don’t think they’ll keep you here much longer. They know you; you’ve been shot before, and we know how to take care of it on our own.”

She was right, of course--Catra was _always_ right--and soon enough a doctor came by to only put Adora’s arm in a sling and send her on her way with a small bag of medical supplies.

Adora’s pace was urgent, much more so than Catra, who was really only concerned for Adora’s wellbeing and not whatever world-ending news the blonde had for her. As she walked behind the taller girl, she noticed her shiver; the infirmary had changed her into her pajamas, and the hall was cold, just like it always was.

Typing a password into her door, Adora darted inside, pulling Catra in by her wrist, earning a surprised squeak from the feline. The door shutting behind them noisily, Adora threw the medkit on the floor and began examining the room to make sure no one was listening in on them, starting with the vent.

“Spill,” Catra said, perched on top of the desk, “What’s got you so worked up?”

Looking under her bed, Adora struggled to get a good angle with one arm. “The Horde...might not be so good.” A shiver ran down her spine as her stomach hit the cold floor.

Catra raised an eyebrow, sliding off the desk. “Like...not-so-good how?” she asked as she pulled the bottom drawer of the desk open, revealing Adora’s clothes.

“Like, burned-a-village-to-the-ground not-so-good,” Adora struggled to say, rising to her knees. “Like, tried-to-kill-me not-so-good,” she shakily turned away from Catra “Like, killed-a-bunch-of-civilians not-so-good.” Catra approached from behind her, dropping Adora’s too big black hoodie onto her shoulders. Sinking into the garment’s warmth, she sighed.

“I think you might be anemic,” Catra smiled, moving to sit on the bed.

Adora frowned. “This is serious, Catra. I--people died. Innocent people; civilians.” She rose to her feet before adding, “Do you know how I got shot?”

Catra’s smile grew, “Uh, duh, everyone knows. Some insurgent kid stole your blaster, shot you, and almost killed the other Force Captain with it.”

“What?” Adora exclaimed, surprised as she began pacing the room, sliding her right arm into the sleeve of her jacket. “No, Catra, that’s not--where’s the other Force Captain?”

“Coma, I think. Something like that. Med bay said they can’t believe he’s still breathing.”

“Oh.” She continued pacing, “So no one knows...what happened.”

“Yeah,” Catra sighed, “I thought it was weird a kid would take you down, but it was so funny I didn’t wanna say anything.”

Her gait quickening, Adora finally began. “That other Force Captain, he--that kid, he wanted me to kill them; they weren’t a threat, they were crying and scared and I...I couldn’t just _murder_ them!”

Catra remained silent, her face unreadable, as Adora continued. 

“That other Force Captain, he shot me. Not the kid. I threw my weapon on the ground, I wouldn’t do it, and he shot me.” Adora thought for a moment, “I guess the kid picked it up and shot him.” 

Still, Catra didn’t say anything, but her tail hung low, its tip flicking back and forth, causing the bed to shift slightly underneath her. 

“Thaymor wasn’t some ‘rebel stronghold,’ they lived in tents, and were playing with flowers before we--” she found it hard to continue, “--we killed them all. And burned it to the ground.” Tears in her eyes she looked to Catra, hoping for an answer, or reassurance, or sympathy--anything. “It’s kill or be killed out there, Catra,” she finished, halting her pace to lock eyes with the shorter girl across the room.

The tears in Adora’s eyes surprised Catra, not that she showed it on her face. _She_ was the one who always cried, not Adora; Adora was strong, and brave, and headstrong. She was always easy to read, of course, but she was never upset to the point of crying. It was kind of scary. 

There was a heavy silence that filled the room as Adora finished. They both stared at each other, trying (and in Adora’s case, failing) to read the emotions of the other. Finally, Catra spoke, her voice quiet and cold. A sigh escaped her lips and she averted her eyes before admitting, “Yeah, the Horde’s bad; it’s always been bad, Adora.”

Adora raised her eyebrows and her pupils shrunk to pinpricks. “What?”

Catra couldn’t stop the scoff that escaped her. “Adora, we live in a place called the _Fright Zone._ We’re called the ‘ _Evil_ Horde.’ We’re trying to take over the world; that’s not exactly a noble cause.”

“We--” Adora struggled to find words, “We just want order.”

A sarcastic laugh escaped the feline. “Are you really _that_ stupid? How do you think taking over the world works, Adora?” Catra frowned, her brow furrowing, “We just ask nicely and the Princesses give us their kingdoms? The civilians give us their towns?” Anger was bubbling into her words, “”We take, we steal, and we kill. We always have, Adora, that’s what we’re trained to do. We’re just...Hordak’s pawns!” She grabbed the sides of her head before throwing her hands to her sides in frustration. “Typical Adora to let anything she can’t deal with fly right over her head--to run away from anything you don’t know how to cope with!”

Adora was stunned. She couldn’t believe how blind she’d been--how utterly stupid. Of course that’s what they were fighting for; what else could it ever have been? Her voice weak and defeated, she spoke up once more, barely above a whisper, “But… Shadow Weav-”

“ _Don’t!_ ” Catra growled, standing up off the bed to face the other girl, “Don’t you dare start talking about that...that witch!” Her tail swiped back and forth at her ankles and her ears flattened. “All she does, all she’s _ever_ done is lie, and manipulate, and hurt. You just never picked up on it because you were her favorite--her perfect little warrior who always did what she was told. Who never spoke up and never questioned anything she told her.”

Staring at her lap, Adora took it. She took the verbal beating Catra spat at her; she deserved it for being so stupid. She listened to every word, let them linger in her ears, let their meaning sink into her and burn, just as they were supposed to. 

“She’s always liked you more, and you know it!” Catra continued, infuriated, “I’ve seen the way she talks to you--I’ve seen the way she talks _about me_ . I see it in your eyes, Adora, you think about speaking up, but you don’t; you’re a coward. You don’t have the guts to stand up for anyone, because you’re selfish and afraid!” Her eyes were shining in the low light of the bedroom, teary, “You just--you do whatever she wants, and I know you don’t always want to, but you _still_ do it!”

Silence hung in the air between them as Catra finished, her chest rising and falling quickly as she tried to catch her breath. Adora didn’t say anything, didn’t even look at Catra.

Annoyed, Catra growled, running a hand through her hair, “Look, you’re doing it now!” Adora flinched. “Letting it go over your head. Just taking it, shutting up and staying quiet!” Her eyes locked onto Adora’s, tears threatening to fall from them, and she continued, “Fight, Adora!”

Ashamed, Adora’s eyes returned to her lap. “I…” she started, struggling to find anything to say, but knowing something needed to be said, “What can I do? I’m just me, and the Horde’s a century-old army. I can’t stop them.” She looked up to Catra, her guilty look deteriorating slowly into determination as a plan formed, “We should leave; I have keys to a skiff somewhere in here, I just have to--”

Catra let out a loud, frustrated groan, “There you go again! Running away from everything that scares you; looking the other way when something’s wrong!” Her tears finally fell. “You can’t keep turning your back on people who need you!” Her voice had long since gone hoarse from screaming.

It took a moment to piece everything together. Adora’s face softened, her eyes swimming with concern. “Catra… what has Shadow Weaver been doing to you?”

Catra punched the button to the door hard; the panel bent slightly, but the door still opened. “You said it’s kill or be killed out there?” she spat, walking out of the room, “It’s always been that way for me.”

The door shut with a bang.

***

Adora’s bed was weirdly cold that night. It’s not like Catra slept with her every night in the barracks, but the emptiness of her own room left her feeling lonely; no one else sleeping nearby, no one’s breathing to fall asleep to, no gentle creak of the God-awful bunks. She tossed and turned, trying desperately to fall asleep, but she just couldn’t get comfortable; she blamed it on her injured shoulder. 

When she had gone to look for Catra earlier, she couldn’t get to any of her favorite hiding places with a lame arm. She couldn’t call out to her, either; there are so many people bustling around the Fright Zone in the daytime, and if Shadow Weaver knew Adora was looking for Catra instead of resting… 

So, she condemned herself to the cold, torturous silence and discomfort of an empty bed. And an injured shoulder; that played a part in her insomnia too, surely. 

Flopping onto her side, she looked at the skiff keys on her desk. She had found them, but didn’t have the courage to use them, not if Catra wasn’t coming with her. Leaving her, especially now that she knew something was going on with her and Shadow Weaver, felt cruel. 

She sat up, realizing trying to sleep was pointless. Rubbing her eyes, she moved to the door. She couldn’t stop herself from rubbing the dent Catra had left before hitting the button. The door slid open, cold air flowing around her as it did. Tonight, the cold was refreshing; grounding. She didn’t bother with her slippers or jacket as she walked into the brisk air.

Moving quickly, she tip-toed to the barracks. It had been hours by now; maybe Catra had gone to bed. It took only minutes for her to slip in, the huge doors grinding open. She was disappointed when she didn’t see her anywhere. 

Adora left quickly, hoping not to disturb the cadets. Over and over in her head, she imagined what she would say if a guard stopped her on their patrols as she walked down the halls, continuing her search. _I’m Force Captain Adora. I’m looking for a missing cadet. No, I don’t need help. Have a good night._

Her breath escaped her with a shudder. It was certainly cold in the hall; maybe she was anemic, she thought. 

***

Finally, she found herself on the balcony below one of Catra’s favorite hiding spots. “Are you up there?” she spoke; she knew Catra would be able to hear her, as her catlike hearing was far superior to her own. She didn’t get a response. With a sigh, she continued, “You know I can’t climb; kind of messed up to hide from the cripple where you know they can’t get to you.” 

“What do you want, Adora?” 

Adora smiled in satisfaction; it had only taken her 3 tries (and 2 guard encounters; good thing she’d practiced) to find the right balcony. “To talk to you. I’ve made up my mind.” She leaned her elbows onto the guard rail in front of her; it was freezing.

Catra didn’t answer, but Adora saw her tail drape over the ledge above her.

“I’m going to fight, like you said. Fight the Horde from the inside.”

Catra laughed, almost scoffed, “Good luck with that.”

“Oh, come on,” Adora smiled, “Don’t be like that. I can’t do it on my own; you’re the smart one, remember?”

Catra only hummed in response. Adora watched her tail move back and forth at a relaxed pace. She would have pulled on it, if she could reach; Catra hated that. Maybe she should work on her impulse control.

Adora sighed. “I’m serious about this, and I’m serious about you. I need you to do this with me.”

“And what if I don’t want to?”

She hadn’t really considered what she’d do if Catra said ‘no’. “I--” she hesitated, struggling to assert herself, “This isn’t a choice, Catra. We’re doing this.”

Above her, Catra’s tail disappeared. Adora tensed, fearing she had scared the feline off. A moment later, the metal next to her sank slightly as Catra landed on it gracefully. “Okay,” she said her voice barely above a whisper, “but this is a stupid plan.” She leaned onto the guard rail next to Adora, her arm brushing against the blonde’s. “You’re freezing,” she added.

Adora only shrugged. Catra’s arm was really, really warm, and she was glad when she didn’t move it. 

***

Catra led the way back to Adora’s room, punching in the passcode as she arrived.

“How’d you know the code?” Adora asked, surprised; she hadn’t told anyone what it was.

“Well, it was either going to be your favorite number or mine.” She smirked as Adora reddened, “I took a wild guess.”

They moved onto the bed quickly, both of them exhausted. Adroa drew the blankets up around her shoulders as she sat, being careful around her shoulder, and Catra crawled beneath them with her after turning off the light. Adora hadn’t realized how cold she was; she had gone numb. Just as she regained feeling in her feet, Catra teasingly asked, “So, what’s the plan, Force Captain?”

“Well,” Adora started--there wasn’t much plan right now, “I am _not_ leaving the Fright Zone again. No more missions.” Catra hummed in agreement under the covers, and she continued, “We need to cause chaos--a lot of it. Enough so that the Horde is so fragmented that it’s impossible for anything to get done. And we should probably do something about Hordak.”

Nodding, Catra silently agreed. “We could get the troops confused,” she added, and Adora listened carefully, “Get them to start blowing their own stuff up, attacking their own people.”

Adora looked to her Force Captain badge on her desk. “We could use the badges; send orders posing as Hordak. We’ll need to get them on Hordak’s frequency, though.”

With a lopsided grin, Catra mused, “I thought I was the smart one?”

“Don’t flatter me, it’ll go straight to my head,” Adora added sarcastically. “Well, I know he keeps all the badges in the Black Garnet Chamber.”

Catra tensed beside her, “Can we not just use your badge?”

Apologetically, Adora shook her head, “If we use just one, especially if it's one registered to me, he’ll be able to track it easily. If we send it from a bunch of different, non-registered badges, it’ll be hard for him to figure out who’s behind it.” Catra sighed. “We’re going to have to steal a ton of them.

“And, if we want to pose as Hordak, we’ll need to get into his lab and figure out what frequencies he has set to override all the regular ones. What frequencies lead to what base, or bases; you know. They’re probably on that giant computer in the back.” She had been in there a few times with Shadow Weaver and had a pretty good lay of the land.

Catra couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped her, “Okay, so two small suicide missions that converge into one, more efficient suicide mission.”

“Can you think of anything better?” When Catra didn’t respond, Adora snapped playfully, “Thought so.”

“Can you not be dumb for, like, 2 seconds?” Catra groaned, falling backwards onto the bed.

“No,” the blonde responded, laying back as well. Her arm didn’t seem to bother her as much now that Catra was here.

***

They woke up peacefully the next morning; Shadow Weaver didn’t come barging in at the crack of dawn to scare them half to death, anyway. Adora woke up first, laid stiffly in the exact position she had fallen asleep in, with Catra a sprawling mess beside her, one of her legs draped across the blonde’s stomach as she slept perpendicular to Adora. The blankets and pillows were in disarray, some of them on the floor--Catra had always moved a lot in her sleep. Adora did on occasion, but not when Catra was there; Catra called it ‘sleep-fighting’ when Adora did it, but ‘totally normal’ when _she_ did it.

Adora held still, the comfortable weight of Catra’s leg making it easy. Something about having Catra in her bed made her feel at ease, especially now that she had her own room. Being alone was… not scary, she’d never admit to that, but it gave her a strange sense of unease. She had never realized it until she had her own room, but she had never been alone. From the barracks, to the halls, to the locker room, there was always someone there to watch her back as she grew up--usually Catra.

Looking to the girl beside her, watching her chest rise and fall as she slept, she remembered all the times Catra would run off and hide in a desperate attempt to be alone. It didn’t make much sense to Adora; then again, not many things did, especially regarding Catra. She wondered what was so appealing about silence and loneliness; she’d have to ask Catra sometime.

As though she could feel Adora’s eyes on her, the brunette groaned slightly as she woke up. Her eyes were still closed, but she moved with purpose now--different from the tossing and turning she did in her sleep. Withdrawing her leg from Adora’s stomach, she moved to lay next to the blonde. 

“Good morning,” Adora spoke quietly, not wanting to be too jarring.

Catra hummed, her eyes still closed as she drew the blanket over her. Her pillow was still on the floor. The rumble of a purr rose in her chest as she began to gently knead the blanket.

Adora smiled at the sight before a sigh escaped her. “We can’t sleep in today. We have work to do.”

Pulling the blanket up and over her head, Catra groaned; her ears still stuck out. Her kneading stopped, but her purring continued.

Looking to the top of Catra’s head, Adora outstretched a hand--Catra hated when she touched her ears, it would be funny--but she refrained. “Are you sure you want to get the badges? You don’t have to. We can trade,” she said slowly, hoping to rouse the other girl.

With a sigh, Catra sat up, finally opening her eyes, only barely. “I know the Black Garnet Chamber like the back of my hand,” she began, and Adora looked away, “and I’ve been in Hordak’s lab, like...twice. You’ve been in there a billion times.” She snickered a little as she added, “Bootlicker.”

Adora rolled her eyes as she got out of bed, “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask what Hordak shines his shoes with; they taste great,”

Catra groaned, “First of all, ew; second of all, that wasn’t even funny.”

“Then why are you smiling?”

The feline ran a hand through her hair, choosing not to respond. She moved out of bed next to Adora, who had somehow already gotten dressed, as she grabbed her own clothes. Adora moved to the bathroom and Catra changed as the door closed between them. 

It didn’t take long for Adora to step out of the bathroom. She smiled apologetically as she said, “You...sure you're up for this?”

With a sigh, Catra slid her red, metal headband on pushing her bangs out of her face. “I thought I didn’t have a choice, _Force Captain_ . And plus, we aren’t even doing any thieving today; just scouting, per _your_ orders.”

Adora didn’t answer; she just nodded as she took a deep breath. “Meet back here at bedtime.” She slid her red jacket on over her clothes as she moved to the door, though her left arm remained in a sling against her stomach. Catra, on the other hand, moved to one of the grates in the room that lead to the air ducts. As she unscrewed it with one of her claws, Adora spoke up, her voice wavering uncharacteristically. “Please stay safe.”

Looking over her shoulder, Catra gave a small, almost sad smile, “You too, princess.” They had grown up in the Horde; ‘princess’ was a worse insult than ‘asshole.’

With a huff, Adora retorted, “I told you not to call me that.” 

Catra didn’t respond as she slipped into the vent, shutting it quietly behind her.

Adora sighed as she hit the button. The door clanged open, just like it always did, and she left.


End file.
